Treacherous
by Actual Salad
Summary: She was elusive. She was wild and beautiful. He couldn't help but miss her, and pray for when she'd appear in his life again. LaurWalk, references of Joime and Breredith.
1. Out of Focus, Eye to Eye

_Put your lips close to mine,_

_As long as they don't touch._

_Out of focus, eye to eye,_

_'Til the gravity's too much_

* * *

He would sit down, he would be driving, he'd be falling asleep and his mind would always drift to her. She was beautiful, in his head. The same beauty she had freshman year off college, before she cut her long hair. She always had been beautiful. And her. Her. Her wild spirit in college created a more wild and elusive adult. Years later, e never knew exactly where she was, he prayed for the their paths to cross. And every so often, they did. She was Lauren Lopez, beautiful, wild, elusive, amazing Lauren Lopez. He was simply Joseph Walker.

His mind would every so often drift back to when she loved him.

He was living in Chicago now, sharing an apartment with Joey. The days he spent with her in New York were a memory. Julia said she was traveling through the Northeast these days. Moving from place to place. Just like she usually did.

It wasn't anything heinous that she did. She didn't cheat, she didn't harm him. She just was tired of the same day to day routine they had. She wanted adventure, and her adventure didn't include him.

He hadn't cried since.

He had moved on, using women to dull the pain. Everyone thought he was a womanizer, they all believed he had girls everywhere. He only needed someone to soften the wound Lauren had left when she left him those few years before. Joey rarely came back to their apartment during the weekends, choosing to stay with Jaime instead. All Joe though about was Lauren. The girl laughed, she sounded like Lauren. She was short like Lauren. She was feisty like Lauren.

* * *

Soon, it was the holidays. He decided for once he'd spend it with his parents. It'd be two years next month that she left. He boarded the plane to Logan airport and pressed his head against the window. Maybe she'd turn up again, they'd see each other. Finally reconnect. He tried not to set his mind on it. It'd never happen. When Julia said Northeast, she could very well be on a beach in Maine. Or up at the Ben and Jerry's factory. Or maybe she'd headed back to Michigan for the season.

He got off the plane and claimed his luggage, hailing a cab to get to Cambridge. On the drive, he spotted a small antique store. He should get something for his mother. He stopped the cab and ask for the cabbie to wait a few minutes. He walked in an began to browse. However, he didn't notice the small woman in the back of the store watching him. He didn't notice when she appeared behind him and tapped in his shoulder.

"Hiya, stranger."


	2. Through the Sleepless Night

_Two headlights shine through the sleepless night_

_And I will get you get you alone_

_Your name has echoed through my mind_

* * *

His blue eyes widened and he hesitated before turning around. There she was. Her hair had grown long, and it was in a braid traveling over her shoulder. Her large t-shirt seemed to overcome her, hitting her legging covered legs mid-thigh. She had aged a bit since he last saw her, her travels taking a bit of a toll on her.

"Lauren…" the name escaped his lips for the first time in a while, he missed saying her name. He wanted to say it again. "Lauren…how are you?"

"I could ask you the same, Wox. It's been a while," she smiled and reached her arms around him, and wrapped his around her waist.

"Yeah, it has," he removed his arms from her, and waited for her to unlatch him. She'd always keep hugs going longer than they needed to be.

"Home for the holidays?" she asked, a small twinkle in her eye.

"Uh, yeah. I just stopped to get my mom a present," said, taking a seat on a chair sitting in the store. She sat in the chair next to it, crossing her small legs.

"That's nice. How are your parents? I've been meaning to stop in and see them. I got her two days ago. I've been in an inn down the street. I just came from Western Mass. Went to the Basketball Hall of Fame…remember the games we went to in college? Oh! Remember when we went to the one against State and you-"

"Let's not bring that up," he laughed. He could feel them reverting back to how they were.

Lauren glanced around her, as if afraid. "Are you heading home now?"

"Yeah, do you want to come?"

"Oh, no, I couldn't." she said, her cheeks turning pink.

"You have to, if my mom knew I ran into you and didn't force you to come over…" he trailed off, thinking of his mother's rage if Lauren missed any part of their Hanukah celebration when she was so close by.

"Fine, fine. I will." She picked up her purse, and waited for him to stand.

Joe picked up a small gift for his mother, and paid for it at the cash register, where the woman was eyeing them up, noticing they had not entered the store together.

Once back in the cab, and after getting the same look from the cabbie, Joe sank back into the seat. Lauren, slightly nervous, sat perched on the edge.

"So, what've you been up to since I last saw you…that was in LA, right?" Joe remember he had run into her while visiting Darren one week the previous year. It was a short visit, only stopping to say hi and hug.

"Well, after LA I went up to Washington…it was nice up there. A little too rainy if you ask me. I traveled through all the middle states. Oklahoma and such. I liked Wyoming. It was quiet there. I did a little writing. Then I traveled through Michigan."

"Did you see your family?" he asked, as he saw the sights of neighborhood pass by.

"Oh, no. I couldn't stand my dad telling me to settle down, get a job, start a family. I like seeing things, I'm heading down south after the New Year, actually. I wanna go to South of the Border in South Carolina. A giant sombrero. Hell yes," she laughed and turned her head to face him. Her braid whipping, and the lights from the other car illuminating behind her.

He smiled and looked down. Soon, they were in front of his childhood home. He paid the cabbie, and got out of the cab, running over to open Laurens door for her.

"Why, thank you sir!" she said in a fake southern accent. It was college Lauren again.

"You're welcome m'lady," he answered, using the same accent. He had the driver pop the trunk and he pulled out his luggage, heaving them to the door and knocking lightly.

His mother answered the door and pulled him into a big hug. Finally, she pulled back and kept her arms on his shoulders.

"Look at you! Handsome as ever! I'm so glad you look like me instead of your father!" she laughed, and then saw Lauren, who was hiding in the darkness behind Joe. "And Lauren! How are you, sweetie?"

"I'm fine Mrs. Walker, it's lovely to see you," she replied, a little shy.

"Why are you standing out in the cold? It's New England. Come inside, come inside. Where is your coat, Lauren? Joe, make her some tea." she was incredulous.

"Oh, it's back in my room at the inn…" she said, walking inside hesitantly.

"I, uh, was in a small store when I ran into her," he said, handing the small present to his mother. "It's where I got you this."

"Thank you, Joe," she said, giving him a peck on the cheek.

"Where's dad?" Joe asked, glancing around.

"He's taking a nap. I wish he'd get up, we're about to light the first candle… oh, I'll go get him up. It's nice to see you Lauren." She walked up the stairs, calling for Joe's dad.

"I love your mom," Lauren said, turning to look up at Joe.

"Yeah, she's the best. Let me get you that tea," he led her into the kitchen.

She sat in one of the chairs at the kitchen island and glanced out the window. "It's snowing," she said.

"Huh. So it. Must've just started," he said this happily. However, his eyes were downcast as he filled the kettle. It was snowing the night she left.


	3. Getting Swept Away

_I can't decide if it's a choice_  
_Getting swept away_  
_I hear the sound of my own voice_  
_Asking you to stay_

* * *

As they ate a little while later, Joe's mind drifted back to where he was two years ago. He remembered the date exactly, it was the best night of his life. It had been a month before Lauren left, and she was needing adventure.

Joe rolled over in bed and opened his eyes, only to see covers thrown to the side and awkwardly turned pillow where Lauren should have been. Confused, he sat up and looked around…she always slept in. Suddenly, she leaped out from the foot of the bed and onto him.

"Wow! You're energetic this morning!" he laughed as she gave him a peck on the lips.

"Did I scare you?"

"Yes, Lo, of course you did," he smiled as she slid off of him and the bed.

"Come on, get dressed. Let's do something fun today," she was already getting ready, pulling on shorts and a tank top.

"Like what?" he followed her lead, except first using the bathroom and brushing his teeth.

"I don't know…I'll think of something," she said, as she pulled him along, urging him to hurry up.

Within minutes, they were driving across the Brooklyn bridge, watching the snow fall for the second time in the week.

"I love the snow. It's so calming," she said, resting her head on Joe's shoulder.

"I love _you_,"

Lauren giggled and said she loved him too.

They stopped when they got to Central Park, and as they started walking Joe grabbed Lauren's hand as they walked through the snow filled park.

Before he could notice, Lauren let go of his hand and was in the snow, creating a snow angel.

"What are you doing? You'll get all wet!" he wasn't angry though, he was laughing at the look of pure joy on her face.

"I'm making a snow angel, come on!" she kept working on it as Joe fell onto the snow beside her.

After a few minutes, they got up and looked at what they had created, a very small angel and large angel. Joe laughed at Lauren's, obviously being the tiny one. He stopped laughing when he felt a cold, wet blow on the side of his head. He turned to see Lauren, rolling a snowball in her hands.

"Don't you dare, Lopez!" he said diving into the snow as it flew towards him. "Oh, you've got it coming!" He pushed himself up and began creating and throwing snowballs at her.

Soon, it was an all-out war between them, running through Central Park and weaving through others who were trying to take a peaceful walk. Eventually, Joe ran up behind Lauren, wrapped his arms around his waist, and picked her up, causing her to drop her snowball.

"Walker! Put me down!" she squealed, trying to break free.

"Nope!" he threw her over his shoulder and walked out of the park and to the nearest Starbucks.

"You ruin everything!" she said, as he finally put her down.

"I just didn't want us to catch hypothermia," he said, going in and ordering coffee for them.

They sat in that Starbucks for a while, cuddling and talking. Although they had done more than enough talking to tell all their stories, they never got tired of each other. They made each other laugh, and they made each other happy.

Eventually, the left the Starbucks and made their way, hand in hand down the street. They stopped every few seconds to photobomb a tourist's picture, and eventually took a cab back to their apartment.

Once inside, they curled up together on the sofa, watching movies on Netflix…at least until Lauren made Joe turn it off in disgust at how cliché their day had become.

Laughing, he kissed Lauren, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. For a second they pulled away before going back in. He pulled her down with him, and finished their day like that.


	4. You're Friction

_And all we are is skin and bone trained to get along  
Forever going with the flow but you're friction._

* * *

"I swear, it was backstage for HP the Musical, and this one here, covered in white face paint, comes over to me right before the show and hugs me, getting the paint _all over me._ Matt wanted to murder him," Lauren said, as she conceded and ripped the piece of bread in half, handing the smaller piece to Joe

"In my defense, she was running around telling everyone I had grown a third nipple. What was I supposed to do?" he said chuckling at the memory.

Lauren rolled her eyes, and she turned to Joe's mom. "Thank you so much for the lovely dinner, but I should probably get back to my hotel."

"Lauren, I can't let you go back outside like that. You'll catch frostbite! And besides, I'd hate having you alone in that room where you could be spending time with others! Please stay the night," she said, beginning to clear the table.

"Well, I guess I could…" she said, her eyes looking down at her hands.

"Oh, good. Joe, set up the guest room for her."

"Okay, mom. Come on, Lo," he said, getting up from his chair and leading Lauren up the stairs and into the guest room.

She sat down on a chair in the corner and watched Joe make up the bed. "How is everyone?"

"Well, Joey and Jaime are together-"

"They are?! Really? Finally!" she said, clapping. "Oh, I should call her…how're Brian and Mere?"

"The wedding's in April…"

"They're getting married? I have to be in Chi-town for that!"

"It won't be in Chicago, they moved back to Michigan…" he said, chuckling at the memory of them on their moving day, trying to decide whether or not they needed a set piece from Starship. They eventually brought it along.

"Oh, that's good!" she said, tracing the seam on her leggings.

"Yeah, it'll be really nice. Are you going to come? I can tell you all the details…"

"Uh, yeah that'd be great. Just write everything down for me."

He did, and handed it to her.

Lauren sighed. "I've missed so much. I miss you guys."

He was finished now, not just with the bed though, he turned to her with emotionless eyes. "Then why didn't you come to visit any of us? Why did you just get up and leave? Why-" he put his head in his hands and sat on the bed.

Lauren looked at him with her mouth open. She regained herself and walked over to him, hands on her hips. "Me leaving was for a reason. Julia's told me you've been sleeping with every female in Chicago!"

His face was red with anger now, he stood and looked down at her. "That's none of your business. And why did you leave? Do you know what it was like, taking a nap after a shitty day and waking up finding that you were gone? All your stuff was cleared out of the apartment. Do you know how that felt? How the woman I loved just walked out on me? With no warning or- Just, why did you leave."

She was red too, but only with embarrassment. "Because I-I…"

"Because you what?"

"Because I couldn't deal with it anymore! I couldn't go through with that fucking routine every day! We were moving steady towards the white picket fence and 2.5 kids…and I can't deal with that! I can't live like that, Joe!" She wiped a tear from her cheek and sat down on the bed. "I didn't tell you because I…I don't know…I'm sorry."

He took one look at her, and walked out of the room, shutting the door behind him. Lauren pulled the covers back and snuggled into the bed, using a pillow to muffle the tears that had begun to fall. She missed him.


	5. This Path Is Reckless

Lauren woke up around 2:00 am the next morning, she turned over in the bed and remembered the events of the night before. She got out of the bed and did what she did best. Leave. Creeping down the stairs, she caught a bus back to her hotel, where she slept the rest of the night.

The next morning, she packed up all her things into her backpack and slipped out into the early morning light and began to make her way south to her next destination.

Joe wasn't surprised when he found Lauren gone the next morning, with no note left. He shook his head and told his parents she left because her mother had fallen ill. Mrs. Walker clicked her tongue.

"Oh, that poor girl. It was so nice to finally see her."

"Yeah, it was." He hid his distaste for Lauren's leaving, and enjoyed the rest of his time with his family.

On his last night at home, he looked once more in the room Lauren had stayed in. The bedding she slept in had been cleaned, and the bed was remade. However, he sat on the edge and laid back. Staring up at the ceiling, he let himself travel through memories of him and Lauren. College days, when he'd help her home after a party. She was so tiny, she always got drunk the quickest. He remembered one night, freshman year, where she had fallen in the snow after one particularly big party, and when he helped her up, she pulled him down with him. They had ended up making snow angels at 3 in the morning in the freezing cold. He laughed, remembering how to snow felt on his skin, and how when he'd hit the bottom of his angel's wings, she'd hit the top of hers and their hands would bump. He'd felt a spark even then.

His mother knocked softly on the door frame and he was jolted out of his memories. She smiled sadly at him.

"Her mother isn't ill, is she?" she asked, though already knowing.

Joe shook his head. "Lauren…I just…"

"Just let her go, let her find herself or whatever she's doing, alright?"

"Yeah, I gotcha mom," he gave her a small smile and hugged her tight.

When Joe left, he was sad. Not only because he was leaving his parents, but because he was leaving the last place he'd probably ever see Lauren. He know they'd never encounter one another again, she was on her own now. He had to forget about her.

When he was finally back in Chicago, all he wanted to do was sleep. But Joey wanted to hear about his trip, so Joe spilled everything to him. Lauren, their argument, her leaving. Joey let out a breath and ran a hand through his hair.

"I think you just need to let her go. She's not gonna come back for you…sorry if that's tough to hear…but it's true," Joey said, wrapping an arm around Joe's shoulder then clapping him on the back. "Come on, let's go get a drink. It's Saturday, there'll be plenty of girls there for you to choose from…"

"Not tonight, man. I'm tired." Joe really was tired, but he also was far from being in a 'get drunk and find a new girl' mood.

"Alright, then I guess I'll head over to Jaime's. I think…I think I'm gonna ask her if she wants us to move in together soon…" he said with a small smile.

"Do it. I'm happy for you," Joe said, with a genuine smile.

"Thanks. I'll see you later," on his way out, Joey turned to Joe. "Try and forget about her. Promise?"

"Yeah," Joe replied, although not meaning it. He knew he couldn't, no matter how hard he tried. He shuffled to his room, shut the door, and fell face first onto his bed. He rarely felt like this, but when he did, it was always because of Lauren.


	6. Nothing Safe is Worth the Drive

**A/N: Wee! The Final Chapter! Thanks everyone for reading and for writing your reviews. I hope you enjoy the end! More LaurWalk fics to come!**

* * *

_Your name has echoed through my mind_  
_And I just think you should think you should know_  
_That nothing safe is worth the drive_  
_And I will follow you follow you home_

* * *

Four months passed quickly, and Joe was becoming his old self once more. His mind only drifted to Lauren if he saw something that brought a big memory, no longer any smaller ones. He did wonder how she was doing, but other than that, he was content. Though he was still single, he was no longer getting around like he had before. She came into his mind again when he and Joey were making the drive into Michigan together for Brian & Meredith's wedding. The two hadn't seen each other as much since Joey had moved in with Jaime.

"Back in December when I saw Lauren…I told her about the wedding. Gave her all the info and stuff…" he said, as though a passing comment.

"You think she'll come?" Joey asked, taking their exit into Traverse City, Brian's hometown.

Joe laughed. "No way in hell would she. She's probably off at one of those stupid roadside attractions like the World's Biggest Ball of Twine, or the final resting place of Archduke Franz Ferdinand."

"Sounds like her, alright." They pulled into the parking lot of the park in the center of town where the wedding was being held, and walked across the street to Brian's home where everyone was.

In the next few hours, everyone was gathered in the park, patiently awaiting the bride. Joe and Joey were two of Brian's groomsmen, and were standing with him.

"You ready, man?" Joe quietly asked Brian as guests were coming in.

"Yeah, of course. Are you?" Brian replied.

"What?"

"Uh, never mind."

Joe would've said more, but the wedding march began. Jaime was the first down in the aisle, in her light orange bridesmaids gown. Out of the corner of his eye, he could a smile grow wide across Joey's face. Then came Julia, and then one of Meredith's high school friends. The next person who walked down the aisle almost made Joe fall over.

It was Lauren.

His eyes were wide, and she smiled softly at him as she joined Jaime.

His mind spun as Denise, who was the Maid of Honor walked down next and joined the other two. Then, the guests rose for Meredith, who floated down the aisle, her eyes only on Brian. They all watched as they made their vows, and said "I Do" and had their first kiss as husband and wife. And soon, it was over. They all made their way back down the aisle, it lining up so that Joe was next to Lauren.

"Hey, I know you," she said so that only he could hear.

"I think I may know you too," and he looked down at her with a smile. "Lauren. Why are you here?"

"We'll talk about that later, let's enjoy the wedding right now, okay?" She said as she left to go with Meredith and the rest of the bridesmaids to start pictures.

Joe looked over at Brian who was smirking. "That's why you asked if I was ready."

"I thought you knew she'd be here!" he said with a laugh. "She showed up here about a month ago. She said that you told her everything about the wedding, and she made to be sure she didn't miss it. And you know Meredith. Made her a bridesmaid right there. It's been a while since we've all seen her. She seems different, though."

"Yeah…" Joe didn't finish his thought, however.

A few hours later, when they were well into the reception at the newlyweds home, after their first dance, a particularly slow song came on. Joe stood up and walked over to Lauren, and asked her to dance. She smiled and obliged, taking the hand he had held out for her.

They walked out to the dance floor, and Lauren wrapped her arms around Joe's neck and pulled him close. He did the same to her waist and leaned over to whisper something in her ear.

"You look beautiful tonight, by the way."

"Awh, you're full of it."

"No, you do."

"Well, thanks, Walks." She looked down at the floor, and then raised her eyes slowly to meet his. "About that night at your parents…"

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have started on you like that," he said with a shake of his head.

"No, I shouldn't have left you in the first place, Joe. I could've…"

"You could've what? You wanted adventure, I just wanted to settle down."

"Anything would've been an adventure with you, Joe."

He looked down at her, slightly stunned. But before he could reply, she spoke again. "I wish I had realized that. See, a week before I left I was looking for something in our room and I…"

"You found the ring, didn't you?"

"Yeah. It scared me. And now, I've been thinking, why didn't I just stay? Things could be better. In the past few years…I've seen some things…" she shook her head. "Tell me, how were you going to do it?"

"How was I going to do what?" he murmured, brushing a tear that had begun to make it's way down her cheek. "Do you want to go outside?"

She nodded and they walked out of the yard, and back across the street to the park, where they sat under the trees.

"How were you going to propose?" she asked, laying down and looking up at the stars.

"I was gonna do it on New Years Eve. At exactly midnight. The start to a new year. And new life." He chuckled. "That sounds corny as hell, now."

"I think it sounds perfect."

"It would've been." He sighed and pressed his head in his hands. "I wish you hadn't left, Lo. I really do. And I should hate you for doing it. But I can't."

"Hey," she said, moving his hands away, and holding his face with her own. "That's perfectly fine. I'd prefer if you don't." And with those last words, she brushed her lips against his for a quick second.

They both smiled at each other for a second, as if it was one of those teen movies where everything worked out in the end.

"Come on," she said after a few minutes. "Let's go back to the party. People are gonna get suspicious if we're gone too long."

"From now on, I'm going wherever you go, Lo."


End file.
